Hever Castle turns blue for World Diabetes Day

November 14 2015 | What's on

Hever Castle was lit up in blue during the afternoon of Friday 13 November, to mark World Diabetes Day, which takes place every year on 14 November.

Blue is the universal colour which represents the World Diabetes Day event. On the day millions of people around the world come together to raise awareness of diabetes and what it’s really like to live with the condition. It’s a global campaign led by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) with activity taking place around the world.

Around 387 million people have diabetes globally, and around half of those don’t even realise they have the disease, according to the IDF. In the UK, recent figures show around 3.2 million people have diabetes.  In West Kent, there are over 20,000 people affected by diabetes with the figure expected to rise to 30,000 within the next decade.

Dr Haq, Consultant & Clinical Lead in Diabetes & Endocrinology Foundation Training Programme Director (FTPD) Maidstone & Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust, said:  “It’s so important that we help raise awareness of this disease nationally and internationally so people know what to look for and seek treatment, if they think they may have the condition, at the earliest opportunity. I am so pleased staff from Hever Castle are helping us to recognise World Diabetes Day by lighting up the castle in the colour blue”.